Parents and guardians: There has been a recent outbreak of measles in Hennepin County this spring (2017).

Information from the Minnesota Department of Health:

What is measles?

Measles, also called rubeola, is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. Because of high immunization levels, measles is no longer common in the United States. But it is still common in many other countries and may be brought into the U.S. by unvaccinated travelers. Keeping our measles immunization levels high is critical to preventing measles outbreaks.

What people in the community should do

Get vaccinated to protect yourself from measles.

▪ Make sure you and your children have been vaccinated with the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. Ask your health care provider to find out if you need an MMR.

▪ If your child is 1 year old or older, and has never received the MMR vaccine, it is not too late to get them vaccinated.

▪ Measles vaccine is safe and effective.

Watch for symptoms of measles

▪ Measles symptoms begin with a fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Then a rash develops that usually spreads from the head to the rest of the body. You can spread the disease to others once these symptoms start and until after the rash disappears.

▪ People with measles symptoms feel miserable.

▪ Measles can be serious. It can cause people to be hospitalized and even cause death.

Call your doctor or clinic right away if you see symptoms

▪ Your doctor or clinic will let you know if you need to come in for a visit.

▪ Measles is very contagious and you don’t want to give it to someone in a waiting room. By calling first, the clinic can give you some instructions for where to go.

▪ Stay at home and avoid having visitors if you or your child is sick, or if you have not been vaccinated.